Internal documents were released showing Twitter executives discussing the removal of then-President Donald Trump from the platform following the Capitol Hill riots. The documents reveal how Twitter officials sought a change of policy for Trump alone in order to permanently ban him from the social media platform, distinct from other political figures.
The documents total over 500 pages and are part of a series of files showing censorship within Twitter. They include emails and conversations discussing and debating the steps necessary for removing Trump from the platform.
The emails demonstrate that there was some disagreement among those in charge about what should be done about Trump’s account. Some argued that the President should be given one final warning before being removed permanently while others strongly believed that he should be banned immediately with no room for negotiation. Ultimately, it was decided that banning him outright was the right call and it was done on January 8, 2021.
The documents also show that there were discussions over how this decision would be received by both users and government officials since it had never been done before. Despite the potential backlash, those involved agreed that this step needed to be taken to protect their users and uphold their values as a company. It’s unclear if any legal action will result from these actions but it is clear that this incident has sparked a larger conversation about censorship on social media platforms like Twitter.
The release of these internal files is an important reminder of how much power companies like Twitter have when censoring content on their platforms. This incident has highlighted just how quickly decisions like this can be made without any real oversight or accountability in place—something many users are concerned about when it comes to social media giants like Twitter. It remains to be seen whether or not any changes will come out of this but regardless, it’s clear that it has sparked a larger conversation about censorship online.
